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sheesharee

Oak cabinets, wood filler.

Sheeisback_GW
13 years ago

Every few months I flirt with the idea of painting my cabinets a creamy white. I've said before how I don't like my kitchen. If I could redo I would've went with a rich stain and architectural details but too late for now. Don't want to stain darker because of blending with brown countertops. Can't replace countertops since three years old. When I do, I'll be sure to put the refrigerator on the end where it belongs.

I've done a lot of reading about painting oak cabinets. I know to use quality

(self leveling) paint, a sprayer is ideal, yadda ya. IF I go through with paint, I'd like to eliminate the oak grain. Twg's kitchen before and after pics come to mind. She used a grain filler from Lowes (doesn' remember what kind). You don't see any oak grain.

Twg7590's kitchen

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I'd imagine you'd have to completely cover all the wood with the filler? The wood fillers I remember seeing in stores were small containers so, if that's the case, it looks like I'd need like 20 of them! I know I'm not good at patching and sanding smooth holes. I always have a ring or I sand it all off. I don't have the knack down. Sanding filler concerns me for this.

I know my Dad's used a sprayer before and said how much of a pain it was. I guess if the paint is too thick it doesn't spray right. Plus, clean up is a blast. Paying to have this done won't be an option.

More rambling:

I've been hesitant and I wonder if I'll actually like them better painted. What I'm really drawn to on cabinets are the detail and the mouldings. Since we added ceiling crown not that long ago, I'm not going to be able to convince DH to have it removed and add detail/more moulding to the cabinets. I will probably be hard enough convincing him to let me paint.

I also consider selling the white appliances for SS from time to time. That hasn't went over well so far since we bought them new three years ago and they work just fine. We bought from a well known, great service, Mom and Pop place. I felt all warm and fuzzy "keeping the $$$$ local". Could've got a SS package deal at a big box store. *sigh*

My rooms are falling into place that I can say I'm very happy with them except the kitchen - It's ok. I know I should be happy as it functions well for me, I have lots of cabinet space and a large pantry but one of these days I'm just going to grab a brush and go bananas.

Kitchen - **The paint doesn't blend IRL like it does in photos. I'm NOT interested in repainting the walls which are BM Olive Branch.

{{!gwi}}

p.s. The rest of the wood in my house is dark or painted oak so the kitchen is an odd ball.

Here is a link that might be useful: Twg7590 kitchen thread

Comments (12)

  • Sheeisback_GW
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Found that this GW member used MH Ready Patch after they attempted to use wood filler. I have a container of that here. I do have one panel to practice on. (The one that used to be the corner cabinet). Hmmm..

    Here is a link that might be useful: Nodirtthere's kitchen - used mh ready patch

  • Sheeisback_GW
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    While at Lowes tonight, for about 45 seconds, I had DH ready to sell our appliances for SS. He quickly snapped out of it and realized it's not practical right now &, of course, we won't get what we paid for them, blah, blah. *tear* :( Whatever. Stuck w/white.

    Moving on, I was reading a bunch of threads earlier about Fine Paint of Europe's brushing putty. It's oil based and they say you need to use their oil based primer over top. I don't want oil based because of yellowing. It's also expensive. I may give them a call anyhow. The photos I saw online looked really nice.

    I didn't get around to painting my oak vanity yet so I'll try the MH Ready Patch on that and see if it's possible and how much of a pain it really is.

    I just have to make a decision with the kitchen cabinets. It would probably be a spring project anyhow.

    I'll let you know how the vanity turns out.

  • susanwrites
    13 years ago

    I'm going to follow you on this one, shee. I've got maple cabinets that just have a light varnish on them but they're not pretty like other maple cabinets. They read pink to me. Bleck. I want to paint them creamy white with a black counter. I have a wonderful painter guy but I'm still nervous about the idea of painting the wood.

  • someone2010
    13 years ago

    I think you should buy your paint from a paint store rather than a home store. Tell them you want a waterbased undercoat that is also a grain filler. Paint on a coat, sand it smooth and check the coverage to see if you might need another coat or not.
    A good investment would be a quater sheet sander like a Porter Cable 330. This is an old style sander and there is good reason why it has been around for so long.

  • Delilah66
    13 years ago

    Shee - It's about 5 a.m. I was laying in bed thinking of staining/painting oak Parsons tables I've had for 20 yrs. Got up, got my coffee and see this post about painting oak. With your tenacity, I figure I can just wait until you wretle this beast to the ground, step in afterward and know how to do my project. Hahaha!

    I really like the olive branch color. It would go well with darker cabinets, too, and I think the brown countertops would also look good with darker cabs. I think you're right though that the white aapliances would be a bit stark with dark cabs. I'm looking forward to my white fridge dying so it can be changed for SS.

    Can't wait to see the evolution of your kitchen. How's the MBR coming?

    java
    (PS - Love the light over the island, too!)

  • Oakley
    13 years ago

    I know you don't want to paint the walls, but that's the problem I see. The walls are pretty but the color clashes with the oak.

    I wish I could remember who it was, but not long ago someone posted their kitchen with the same type of cabs as your's, and the paint color on her walls made those cabs just BEAUTIFUL! I'm not a fan of oak cabinets, but I would have taken hers in a heartbeat. Anyone remember who it was?

    For a temporary fix, I'd add some large red accessories.

  • Sheeisback_GW
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Susan, If my cabients were maple this would be much easier for me to jump on it! :) I have a few cabinets that are really grainy. My other painted vanity has some grain and it doesn't bother me but the kitchen gets a lot of light. I just know this is a huge job and everybody will see it once finished. I get concerned painting over wood too but I always am really happy with the end result. I'll paint mine if you paint yours! :)

    Someone, Oh, I'll buy high quality paint (BM, Fine Paint of Europe, Cabinet Coat, etc.) for this one for sure. Thanks for the tip about the sander. I used two of my Dad's for the stair project (killed his vintage one) but I think I'll buy my own for this large of a project.

    Java, You crack me up. :) Momto4boys did her oak cabinets not that long ago and they really look great. Those threads have a lot of good info.
    MBR is at a stand still. Have the paint picked out, the BM Dromedary Camel, but will have to wait until after the New Year to paint. I want brown curtains but am trying to decide how much I really want to spend. Thanks for asking!

    Oakley, You'll have to trust me that the paint doesn't photograph well and look nice IRL but I also know you don't like green. :) I love green, ha. The poster your're thinking of, what color did she paint her walls? I get a lot of compliments on this paint color.

    It's interesting to me how my cabeints used to be a nice light color and now they're turning more yellow/orange over time, ick.

  • susanwrites
    13 years ago

    Shee, you will not believe this but hubby came downstairs this morning and asked if we really had to wait until we did the countertop before we could paint the cabinets! Hahaha. And I said yes because painter guy said touch-ups on sprayed cabinets would be a bear. Plus when we do this I want to get rid of the funky piece of counter sticking out from the island (PO had a pair of stools under there. We have garbage and recycling) and have the cabinet guy make a tip out cabinet for said garbage and recycling. So, $15K for counter, $2K for cabinet and $3K for painting the cabinets. I think I'll be waiting a while.

    On the other hand, carpenter wonder-boy is here today and I think the casings will get finished today and maybe I can start to put the furniture back in the main rooms.

  • Oakley
    13 years ago

    My suggestion, only because I have white cabinets painted on Maple I believe, is for you to hire a professional to paint your kitchen.

    I know it's expensive, but white will show blemishes if not done to perfection.

    The fumes are awful but our cabinet builder already painted the drawers and doors at his shop before he brought them over. And they are so easy to wash!

    If you do hire a professional, make sure they've painted white cabinets before.

  • Sheeisback_GW
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Susan, $15K for the counter? Ouch, is that really what counters cost? My Dad made and installed ours and my parents paid for it (@ cost) as a wedding present so I never actually priced counters before. I bet you're excited to have everything back to normal!

    Oakley, Oh, I've love to, and that would be the way to go, but hiring someone won't be in the budget anytime soon because we have a lot of other things that need done -finishing the rest of the basement, buying gym equipment, landscaping, etc. I'll have a hard enough time to convince DH to let me paint them. I am a perfectionist so I'll only tackle this if I know I can do it well enough that it looks good to me. I have more researching to do. My cabinets may end up staying the way they are for years until I can't stand it any longer. I'm excited to try and get my vanity smooth without the oak showing. I'll give an update with how that turns out!

  • susanwrites
    13 years ago

    Shee, that was the first quote I got for the black quartz that hubby wants. I hate my counters so much that I'd be happy (I think) with more Corian, just in black instead of mauve.

    When we get closer to actually doing it I'll get a few more estimates. Right now I just want the current projects done and out of my hair.

  • someone2010
    13 years ago

    Shee; I own several sanders, random orbits, belt, quarter sheet viberating, and so on. IMO, the best by far is the one I mentioned.
    To tear the sandpaper into halfs or quarters you can make a jig. Use a piece of plywood about 12in X 12 1/2in. Screw a hacksaw blade, with two washers under it, to the top of one end of the plywood, teeth out, and about 1/8 in from the end. Then you just slide the sandpaper under it and tear off a piece like you do with waxed paper.

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